Annunciator



C. A. BINDHAMMER.

ANNUNCIATOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 19!!!- Patented- Feb. 17,1920.

John D05 CHARLES A. BINIDHAMMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ANNUNCIATOR.

Specification of Letters Ijatent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed January 2, 1918. Serial No. 209,980.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Brno- HAMMER, a citizen of the United States, ie siding at Chicago. in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have inven ed certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, of which the following is a-specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for holding and consecutively displaying cards that may bear up 1; their faces subject matt r for advertising purposes.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a device for holding a series of display cards and means for consecutively displaying said cards, by means, or through the instrumentality of means, operable from a remote point.

Other and further objects of my invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device as it will appear to announce a series of acts at a theater.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the cardholding mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the escapement arm.

In all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts. a

The apparatus is designed to hold a se ries of announcing cards, arranged in consecutive order, to be exposed, one after another, in regular sequence to give notice to a theatrical audience of the change of acts and the name or designation of the act beingF performed.

he apparatus is preferably contained be: hind the proscenium arch of the stage, and the cards are displayed, at intervals, through a suitable opening made in the vertical wall of the arch.

There are usually two devices and corresponding sets of cards to be displayed, one at each side of the arch. Heretofore an employee changes the card in one set, and walks across the stage, before the audience, and changes the card of the other set.

In the contemplated use of my device the cards of the two sets may be simultaneously changed, by closing an electric circuit from a remote point. The point for closing the circuit may be located anywhere on the stage, out of sight of the audience so that it will not be necessary for the manipulator of the device to expose himself to the view of the audience. I

The simplest form that my invention may take is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 5 is an inclined support comprising a rod for holding the card, fixed at one end, as at 6, to a vertical upright 7. Each of the cards 8 is secured to a book 9 and supported on the rod 5. An electro-magnet 10 is suitably fixed to a stationary part of the structure, and is provided with an armature or arm 11, which is responsive to the magnet. The arm 11 is pivoted, as at 12, and is normally held in retracted position, as shown in Fig. 2, by a spring 13. The lower end of the armature or pivoted arm 11 is provided with an escapement plate lei secured to the arm in any suitable way, as by screws 15. The escapement plate 14 is bifurcated on its lower end and is some what wider at its upper end, and is provided with two separated blades 16 and 17. The blades preferably have chisel edges 18 which confront each other, for a purpose to be more specifically referred to. They are displaced rearwardly and forwardly of each other substantially equal to the thickness of said hangers.

The electro-magnet 10 is energized by a battery 20, when the circuit is closed by the key or button 21 over the wires 22, 23 and 24.

Normally the spring 13 holds the prong 16 of the escapement plate 14, in contact with the surface of the rod 5, thereby serving as an abutment for retaining the hooks 9 on the rod. When the circuit is closed, the armature is attracted,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,causing the prong 16 to move up into contact with the rod 5 and permitting the adjacent hook 9 to drop off, by effect of gravity, from the end of the rod. The prong 17 will retain the remaining number of hooks in place on the rod 5 until the magnet is deenergized, whereupon the prong 16 will be instantly returned to its normal position by the spring 13 and pre vent other hooks than the one liberated by the single impulse, from leaving support on the rods 5. Each time the circuit is closed a single card will be dropped in the manner described.

It will be manifest to one skilled in the art, that another device, substantially as that shown in the drawings, may be connected in parallel with the one as illustrated "bination of. features defined by the appended claims.

While I have herein shown a single embodiment of my invention for the purpose of clear disclosure, it is manifest that changes may be made in the general arrangement and disposition of the .parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is-:'

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with an inclined elongated card support; a seriesof cards to be carried thereby; a hanger for each card providing an eye threaded 011 the support; an escapement comprising a lever pivoted to move in a plane bisecting the axis of the support and a 'plate secured-to a free end of the lever,

' having two separated blades, one on each .to an extent that said cards will drop therefrom by force of gravity when not resisted; a hanger for each card having an eye on its free end whereby to thread the cards on said rod; an escapement to oppose movement of more than one card at a time, comprising a pi-voted lever movable at substantially right angles to the axis-of the rod; a plate on the free endof said lever having two separated blades, oneon each side of the rod, and displaced with respect to the path of their movement an extent substantially equal to the thickness of one of said hangers; a spring to hold one of said blades normally 'in contact withthe rod and means to move the other blade intosubstantial contact with the rod, against the operation of the spring, to dropone-card at a time t'romthe rod.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set. my

hand.

CHARLES A. BINDHAMMER 

